


Once Upon a Dream

by asterkiss



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Oneshot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-13
Updated: 2018-04-13
Packaged: 2019-04-17 23:27:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14199951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asterkiss/pseuds/asterkiss
Summary: She'd been doomed from the first time they met.





	Once Upon a Dream

**Author's Note:**

> Note: In this story, the Pines family aren’t involved with any supernatural stuff – or at least, not until Mabel meets a certain someone. ;)

It was during the summer of her nineteenth year that she and her brother visited their Grunkle’s for summer vacation.

It was within the first week that she met the stranger, bumping into his frame as she entered the diner. Unnatural—yet beautiful—golden eyes captured her own as Mabel raised her head to apologise, and all at once her breath was stolen from her, leaving her speechless. She would have lost herself entirely within such a gaze if not for her twin pulling her along.

The connection was broken, and her breath returned.

As the pair took a window seat she glanced outside in an attempt to see the mysterious figure once more, with eyes so rich and golden they looked as if they might belong in a coveted treasury.

But there was no sign of him at all.

She tried to push down the disappointment and move on.

* * *

The days passed by and she almost forgot about the stranger with beautiful eyes.

But then she had a dream.

And he was there.

He stepped into her dream and melded into the scenery as if he’d always belonged. And because it was a dream she accepted his appearance without question, smiling shyly as he took a seat beside her in the sand. The sunset that shone across the beach was unending, allowing the moment where the sky was painted in varying hues to last forever.

Later, when she awoke, Mabel wouldn’t be able to recall a single word they had shared. Only, that they  _had_  shared conversation, because what she could remember was her shy smiles and giggles in response to his earnest comments and teasing.

His hand inched bit by bit towards her own that was placed on the ground between them, their pinky fingers brushing against one another.

She dropped her gaze down to their hands and then back to him, her cheeks taking on a pink hue similar to that found in the sky.

She found herself lost in his eyes once more.

His hand covered her own but the warmth of his skin was already like a distant memory as she lost herself within his gaze and found herself falling-

-and falling-

-and falling deeper-

-until, finally-

“Gyah!”

Her eyes shot wide open as Mabel found herself laid on the floor of her Grunkles’ shack, blankets tangled in disarray around her legs. Her brother, still securely in his own bed, grunted and turned over in his sleep.

Blinking away the last remnants of sleep that clung to her, she pushed herself into a sitting position and rubbed at her head where she’d collided with the wooden floorboards. 

When she dropped her arm she paused, staring at her hand.

It felt warm.

Her cheeks heated as she thought back to her dream and the mysterious stranger within it. She couldn’t recall any details about him – not his hair, his smile nor voice - but the one thing she  _could_  remember clearly were his eyes.

She raised the blankets up and proceeded to bury her face in them in order to hide the goofy smile taking over her face.

Today was going to be a good day.

* * *

It wasn’t a good day.

Mabel found herself frequently in a daze and having to be called back down from Cloud Nine by her brother or one of her Grunkle’s.

Grunkle Ford complained when she picked up his glasses from the table and instead of handing them over, gave him an empty box of cereal and placed his spectacles in the trash can.

Dipper screamed when she walked straight into the bathroom despite the fact he was mid-shower and even pulled back the curtain before realising the fact it was already occupied. (Though jeez, it wasn't like she hadn't seen him naked before. Stop screaming bro).

Finally, Grunkle Stan bellowed when he walked in the kitchen to the sight of the stove on fire after she'd left something boiling. He found Mabel in the lounge area, laid on the sofa with a dreamy smile as she absent-mindedly twirled a lock of hair around her finger.

By the time the day was over, she’d had a scolding from all three members of her family.

As bad as it was however, Mabel found herself unable to be bothered by any of it for long.

Her head was still in the clouds and such problems seemed on an entirely other plane of existence to her—they were distant issues she didn't need to concern herself with. Nothing could ruin her good mood.

That night she fell into bed with a twirl and giggle, sleep embracing her like an eager friend that had been anticipating her arrival.

And it wasn’t the only one.

* * *

She cupped her face in both hands as she rested her elbows upon the dining table, offering a dreamy smile to her date as they sat dining on a restaurant balcony with the Paris skyline twinkling in the night as the perfect backdrop. 

Their conversation was forgotten as soon as she awoke but she recalled blushing several times in succession at his compliments, slowly leaning further and further across the table the longer their date went on.

Her hair was pinned back in a beautiful up-do and at one point he reached out a hand to tuck a stray lock behind the shell of her ear. His body inclined over the table that bridged them apart as he did so, and yet when he was done he didn't pull away. Instead, his hand traced a gentle path over her skin, his knuckles brushing over her jawline in a way that made her shiver with delight. Heat crawled up her throat from their extended proximity, able to make out the individual freckles of even richer gold within his irises. 

He traced the pad of this thumb softly over her lower lip, eyes staring down at her mouth with an intensity that made her heart pound like a drum and resonate within her ears. When he finally raised his gaze to meet her own, as if asking for permission, she gladly granted it without hesitation. Moving forward of her volition, she covered his lips with her own before he even had the chance to think of acting first. She could feel the surprise that went through his body at her eager actions, but he was quick to recover, tilting her chin up with one hand so he could angle his mouth over hers better. 

He cupped the back of her head with his other hand, fingers tangling within her hair to hold her close as their lips met again and again in quick succession. With each slant of his lips over hers, she felt her knees go weak and was silently grateful she was sitting. Her hands that had been on the table clenched into fists, her toes curling within her heels and her mind spinning dizzily.

She would have gladly wasted away hours losing herself in such kisses, but eventually after a short time – or long time, she wasn’t sure – he pulled away. She whined and tried to claim another kiss but he chuckled and retreated further away, earning a pout on her lips from being denied.

“Our time’s up,” he whispered, voice smooth like velvet. “But don’t worry, we’ll meet again princess.”

Her hair had fallen loose once again in their intimate moment and so, as he stood up, he leaned over the table and tenderly tucked it behind her ear once more. Then, almost as if he couldn’t help himself despite his words, he placed one lingering chaste kiss against her forehead before he left.

* * *

That morning when she finally pried herself from bed, Mabel caught her reflection in the bathroom mirror and leaned forward curiously.

She raised a hand to swollen lips.

A few moments passed by before she shook her head with a smile and resumed getting ready, dispelling the paranoid thought before it could even begin to fully surface.

_As if._

* * *

The days passed by in a blur and soon it had been an entire week. By night she engaged in heavenly dates that left her feeling giddy and love-struck, and by day she bared the brunt of her family's scolding who didn’t appreciate her daydreaming and increasing naps.

* * *

“Mabel, Mabel!”

She grunted and swatted at her brother with one arm as she turned over on the sofa, pressing her face into the crook of her arm to hide from him.

“Mabel, you can’t nap all day. We were going to go the pool, remember?”

“Mabel isn’t here right now,” she mumbled back. “Mabel is in sleep-town.”

“Really? Even when there’s going to be half-naked boys at the pool?”

“…”

“Well?”

Slowly, the brunette turned her head to glare at him as he stood watching her expectantly, arms folded over his chest and one eyebrow arched.

“…I suppose I could come for a bit.”

He smirked in triumph.

* * *

Despite her initial excitement to check out the hotties at the local pool however, Mabel ended up spending the majority of her time napping on a sun lounger. It seemed with each passing day she grew more and more exhausted lately, with no amount of sleep appearing to fix it.

She was half-dozing when a voice disrupted her thoughts.

“Hey there.”

“Hm?” Raising the large sunglasses currently hiding half of her face, Mabel turned her head to find a cute boy stood beside her chair as he gave her a toothy smile. With sun-kissed skin and bleached hair, he sported a boyish grin. “Oh," she replied, pushing herself up and quickly giving him a bright smile. "Hi!”

“The name’s Todd, what about you?”

“Mabel.”

“You’re cute, Mabel." He gave her a wink and she blushed. "I’ve seen you around a few times already. I’m in town visiting relatives for a little while, you wanna grab drinks sometime?”

A week ago she would have leapt at the chance to hang out with such a cute guy but in that moment all Mabel could think about was how his eyes were blue and not gold.

Of course, then she realised how stupid her line of thought was. Was she seriously about to turn down this hottie all because she’d been having some dates with a figment of her imagination? Get a grip, Mabel!

“Uh, yeah, that sounds great!”

He broke into a relieved smile at her reply. “Really? Awesome! Uh, do you wanna hang out tomorrow, then? We could meet at Greasy’s Diner at like, noon.”

She flashed him a thumbs up. “I can’t wait!”

As he walked away and returned to his family, she watched him go with a smile. Yeah, this is what she should be doing – scoping out the cuties in the  _real_  world.

* * *

"Do you have a name?" she asked.

"You can call me whatever you wish, princess." 

She laughed. "What, you don't have your own?"

He said nothing, only leaned over and captured her lips with his.

* * *

The next day she dolled herself up and met Todd at the diner for their ‘hang out’ aka ‘totally a date’. Although, after all the extravagant dates she’d been experiencing within her dreams this past week, it was a bit difficult to not feel some whiplash sitting in an ordinary diner. (Only last night she’d found herself skiing in the Alps with her dream-date, later tumbling in the snow atop of one another and ensuing in some kisses that were so heated they should have melted the snow).

“Mabel, are you alright? You look red, do you want me to order you another drink?”

“Hm?” Breaking out of her thoughts to find Todd giving her a concerned gaze, she quickly pushed her thoughts aside and laughed. “Oh no, I’m fine! I promise, haha.” Bad Mabel, stop thinking about dates with other guys _—_ _who aren’t real—_ when there was a very real cutie in front of her right here.

Determined to not let her mind stray anymore, she placed on her best smile and leaned against the table as she quipped a flirtatious joke.

This was fine.

This was real life.

Dreams couldn’t compare to the real thing.

So she told herself, anyway.

* * *

That night she fell asleep and found herself walking down a flight of steps covered in red carpet, crowds of people including celebrities watching her descent as they applauded her arrival. She glanced down at the gorgeous pink ballgown perfectly fitted to her form like something out of a fairy tale and with the sparkling over-the-top jewellery to match. It should have looked ridiculous with the amount of glitter and sequins but somehow it was perfect.

When she glanced to her side, Mabel wasn’t surprised to see her familiar dream-date accompanying her as he walked down the stairs with her arm looped through his.

They reached the bottom which lead to a wide ballroom interior. Glass chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and floor-to-ceiling length mirrors placed upon the walls reflected every smiling face. She released a soft gasp at the sight of her favourite boyband stood on an elevated stage as they sang a slowed down version of her favourite song.

She was swept away into a dance, somehow able to match the steps and timing perfectly despite having never danced ballroom before.

Her date twirled her around so often, she felt like she was floating on air, and the delighted smile refused to leave her face. They danced for hours, never once feeling tired nor the need to stop, and the song had no discernible end to it as it continued to play on and on. It was only when he dipped her down and lowered his head to kiss her that he stopped, an unreadable expression crossing his face.

She stared up at him, hands gripping his shoulders. “What?”

His eyes remained focused on her throat, his lips tugging into something that could almost be called a frown. He leaned back, pulling her to stand straight once more but he did not resume their dancing – in fact, the song seemed to have stopped.

He reached out a hand, fingers brushing along the side of her throat as his lips pressed flatly together. It was only when she peered aside, eyes catching their reflection in a nearby mirror, that she noticed just what it was that had grabbed his attention.

Her heart skipped a beat and she jerked away, one hand flying up to slap over the area as her cheeks heated. She averted her gaze away from him.

The lack of music was definitely clear now as an all-encompassing silence stretched between the pair. There wasn’t even any chatter from the other dancers— _was_ there even any other dancers? It seemed as if it was just the two of them in this vast empty space.

“That’s, uh…” she began lamely, her voice echoing within the large room. He was staring down at her with an intensity that made her fidget. She felt as if she'd been caught with her hand in the cookie jar—she felt _guilty._

“It’s alright.”

“Huh?” She raised her head to look up at him. He was smiling calmly. “It is?”

“Of course,” he replied, voice warm like honey. “A girl as pretty as you surely has tonnes of suitors! It would be selfish of me to keep you to myself when there are others waiting their turn.”

“Eh? Ah, no, no, it’s not like that!” She shook her hands in front of her frantically, cheeks red. “It was just one guy—one date!”

“It must have been an  _excellent_  first date if he was allowed to leave such a mark on you.”

Her face grew hotter at his words but she couldn’t deny them. She had kissed Todd and she had maybe gotten a little impulsive—but only for a few minutes! They hadn't gone any further than that!

Mabel swallowed thickly, feeling guilty and ashamed as she stared up at him like a deer caught in the headlights and he smiled back. He said it was alright but why did she have the feeling he was lying? His voice was gentle but his words sounded accusatory. Like he was angry.

Taking her hands in his, he squeezed them once and leaned down so they were face-to-face. 

“Now, now, no need to feel guilty,” he insisted. “After all…”

His gaze softened and she found herself once again lost in his eyes.

“…this is all just a dream.”

Then she woke up.

* * *

She broke things off with Todd the next day.

* * *

“Grunkle Stan, I’m worried.”

“About Mabel?”

“All she does is sleep all the time. We have to practically drag her out of bed in the mornings and then she either just sleeps on the sofa or walks around like a zombie! You  _know_  that’s not normal Mabel behaviour.”

A pause. “I know. You’re right, it’s not normal. The kids looks sick too.”

“What should we do? When I try to talk to her, she just brushes me off.”

“...I’ve got an idea.”

* * *

“Mabel! Get up!”

Incoherent mumbling from beneath the blankets.

Dipper sighed. “Alright, I gave you a chance but you asked for it. Go ahead girls.”

**_“DOG PILE!”_ **

Mabel released a squawk of surprise as she found herself flattened beneath two hundred pounds of giggling girls.  When she eventually surfaced, she blinked blearily at the sight of two familiar faces.

“Urgh. Candy…? Grenda…?”

“Surpriiiise!”~ Candy chimed.

“We’re here for a girls session, I’ve brought the magazines,” Grenda supplied, holding up a large pile of them.

“And I have the make-up and nail polish,” Candy added. “Once we have done each other, we can then chase down Dipper.”

“Wait, what?” The boy looked over in alarm.

Mabel stared at them through eyes framed with heavy dark circles that stood out in clear contrast to the pale pallor of her skin. “I dunno you guys… I’m not really feeling a girls sesh’ right now.”

“Cm’on, it’ll be fun!” Candy insisted.

The girl hesitated, clearly not eager on this idea. But with some reluctance, she gave a small nod. “…Alright.”

Dipper smiled as he watched the three girls from the doorway.

* * *

“…and that leaves Justin Timberlake for me to marry, we will have a summer wedding in Hawaii.”

“Nice! Dibs on Maid of Honour!”

“Alright Mabel, it is your turn. Are you ready?” Candy turned only to find Mabel slumped against her bed with her eyes closed. She exchanged a worried look with Grenda before shaking the girls shoulder. “Mabel!”

“Ah!” Jumping awake, her eyes snapped toward the two and for a moment she looked almost annoyed as she then rubbed at one of her eyes sleepily.  _“What?”_  Her voice was definitely tipping toward the end of the pissed off Mabel scale. Oh boy.

“We’re playing ‘Kiss, Date or Marry’ with celebrities. Are you ready?”

Mabel readjusted her position against the bed, frowning.

“Alright!” Candy said anyway. “Let’s see. Robert Pattinson, Zac Efron  _aaaand…_ Chris Pines!”

“Ooh, that’s a tough one!” Grenda cried.

“So, whose it gonna be for a smooch?” Candy asked as they both leaned in towards the brunette.

Mabel stared down at her hand as she picked idly at her fingernails with a frown, giving a non-committal shrug. “I dunno… does it matter? They’re all pretty much the same.”

“The same?” Grenda replied in an incredulous tone.  _“The same!?_  Mabel, how could you say that!?”

“Grenda, calm down!” Candy insisted, placing her hands on the taller girls shoulders when she attempted to move forward towards Mabel.

“But Candy, she said-!”

“I know...”

Mabel felt a slight twinge of guilt for her words. But it was quickly swept aside by the exhaustion she felt, wanting nothing more than to sleep.

There was only one individual she wanted to kiss right now anyway.

And he wasn’t even real.

* * *

Their nightly rendezvouses continued.

After the whole fiasco with the hickey, neither of them mentioned it again. It had been a mistake to go on a date with Todd to begin with.

She wouldn’t make that mistake again.

* * *

Mabel placed her hands against the glass as she stared out across the scenery of London from within the passenger car riding along the Ferris wheel. It was only the two of them within the large capsule and as he came up behind her, he wrapped his arms around her torso and held her close against his chest. 

Her heart skipped a beat and her lips twitched into a giddy smile. She turned around in his arms and caught him by surprise as she raised herself on tip-toes to meet his lips. Wrapping her arms around his neck to hold him close, Mabel lost herself in his kisses.

His hand glided along her hip, pushing her shirt a few inches higher as his fingers brushed along the exposed skin of her torso. Her body burned wherever they came into contact, fire coursing through her veins that only served to encourage her further in deepening their kisses.

At some point she was pressed against the glass of the Ferris wheel cabin, his hands locked over her own and his body pressed flushly against hers. His lips glided over her own and Mabel's heart hammered against her chest with a wild force that made her briefly concerned it might rupture out of her ribcage.

Amidst all the kisses and her mind going dizzy, she wasn’t quite sure where the dream ended except that one moment she was drowning in his arms and the next she was laying breathlessly upon her bed.

Getting out of bed that day was a chore harder than anything she’d ever felt before. She staggered on her feet en route to the bathroom and felt she might almost faint.

She gripped the bathroom sink with trembling hands, staring at her reflection with swollen lips and heavy bags beneath her eyes. She caught sight of something on her neck. When she pushed her hair aside, it was to the sight of another hickey upon her throat.

Todd’s had been close to vanishing yesterday but now, in the very same spot, was a larger one in its place - almost as if to challenge the previous.

The sight of it should have worried her—should have caused alarm bells to ring violently in her head.

Instead, Mabel allowed her hair fall back into place and continued with brushing her teeth.

* * *

The next night, they sat watching the Northern Lights in the sky. Despite the fact the weather should have been freezing in such a location, the wind was a warm and welcome breeze as they remained seated upon a bench overlooking the dancing lights. Mabel remained cuddled up against his side, both hands wrapped around his arm as she used his shoulder as a rest for her head.

“We should really stop meeting like this," he eventually said in a matter-of-fact tone, disrupting the serene scene.

“Hm?” She tilted her head so she could see his face. He was staring ahead at the sky, an unreadable expression on his face that she couldn't decipher. When he said nothing further, she frowned. “What do you mean?”

He gave a sardonic smirk, and it was almost as if she was finally being granted a peek into what had been hidden in plain sight all along. “Don’t play naïve, not with me. You might act like an airhead at times but I’m sure even you’ve noticed the repercussions of our prolonged interactions even if you choose to ignore it.”

Her expression faltered and as he looked down at her, his golden eyes glowed like a fire was trapped within them. His gaze seemed to burn her from the inside out.

“An ordinary demon would leave you be,” he whispered, the suggestion heavy in the air between them.

She parted her lips but no words came forth, her voice tethered down by the weight of his words. Unconsciously, her grip on his arm tightened and he chuckled as he pressed his forehead against hers, his breath fanning across her face. When he spoke again, there was a dark undertone lacing his words and his eyes glowed in a sinister fashion. 

"...Unfortunately for you, I’m the worst of the lot."

She said nothing.

His eyes drilled into hers. “I wonder, why is it a simple human girl like you can make me lose all common sense?”

Their time together ended before she could think of any response.

Unlike all the other times, when she awoke on this occasion she was able to remember everything. Every word spoken and every detail of his face and body, from his perfectly black leather shoes all the way up to every thread of hair like golden silk.

She wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

* * *

They continued to meet but there was a cautious look in his eyes that refused to go away.

Three days later, she collapsed and was admitted into hospital.

* * *

She was standing on the Bow Bridge in Central Park, New York.

Mabel gripped the bannister, staring down into the lake below before scanning the picturesque scenery. There wasn’t another person in sight. Somehow on this occasion, Mabel was under no delusions about this being reality and knew this was a dream straight away. Just like she knew the footsteps approaching her could belong to only one person.

When she turned her head, he was there. Coming to stand a few feet away from her, he leaned himself against the edge of the bridge and stared out across the park without looking her way. On all their other dates, she’d admired his appearance but never really taken anything in past his eyes. But now, as if knowing this was a dream had dispelled some of the charm, she was able to take in his entire appearance and appreciate just how handsome he really was.

On this occasion, a yellow sweater-vest was layered over a white collared shirt and accompanied by black pants and dark leather shoes. His hair was as golden as his eyes and looked as soft as silk, and for a moment she had the impulsive desire to run her hands through it.

“Another beautiful location,” he remarked, cutting in to her thoughts. “Do you like it? I pulled this out of your mind, y'know. All the other places too. This place is number four on your list of places you’d like to be proposed too, I believe.”

She stared at him blankly. “What is this?” This felt different to all their other dates. A heavy weight was resting in her stomach.

He paused for a long moment, appearing deep in thought. Just when she was about to speak again he finally turned his head and pierced her with his gaze, allowing her to be privy to the various conflicting emotions swimming beneath his eyes. “You never brought it up,” he said, tone casual as if remarking on the weather. "I told you I was a demon a few days ago. That doesn't bother you?"

She didn’t like this. Her dreams were meant to be a respite from reality and a place where she could indulge in romantic fantasies. This wasn’t it. 

"N-No."

His lips twitched but the attempted smile didn't quite meet his eyes. It looked somewhat mocking. “Really?"

Shifting her weight from one foot to the other, she pushed her hair behind her ear nervously. 

At her lack of response, he returned his attention back across the lake, tapping a finger against the bridge. "What if I told you I was a demon that invades the dreams of unsuspecting girls and slowly drains their life force away from them? An incubus?”

She grasped at the edges of her sweater with both hands. The scenery around them seemed to be melting away with his words, the colours bleeding into one another as the trees and leaves dripped down and mixed together. Fortunately, the bridge they were standing on however seemed unaffected.

“It’s how I survive,” he went on after it became obvious she wasn’t going to say anything. “My kind feed off the life force of humans, you see.” He shot her a smile that flashed his teeth. He was talking to her with a mocking tone again. Speaking to her like she was stupid and beneath him. She didn't like this side of him. The colours of the world around them melted faster.

“It’s very easy to do," he added. "We invade your dreams, and by engaging in intimate relations we’re able to feed off your energy. It doesn’t take much either. Just one-

-single-

-touch.” His hand brushed against her cheek and she jerked back in surprise, unable to place when he had gotten so close to her.

He chuckled at her reaction as he retracted his hand and she felt her heart twist. Her mind reeled as she tried to process his confession, but it wasn't as if she hadn't had her suspicions that something was amiss.

She'd just never thought it would actually be possible for demons to be real, much less invading her dreams.

The rest of the park was completely gone now, the only thing that existed was them and this bridge in a neverending black abyss. She hugged herself as the warmth that the sun had been offering was now lost. “Why are you telling me all of this?” she asked eventually, voice quiet. “Is this your way of breaking things off?" The notion of that made her more queazy that the acknowledgment of him being an actual demon. She didn't want him to leave. She didn't want him to go after some other girl.

“It should be.”

“What does that mean?”

He stared at her. “…You know, usually when I come across a meal, I behave and limit myself. I’ll visit once—or twice—for a few weeks and then that’s it. It's how my kind work.”

“But we’ve-"

“Met a lot more than that, haven’t we?” he cut in, flashing her a toothy smile as their eyes met. “That’s right. By now, with any other human, I would have had my fill and moved on. But I haven’t. Do you know why that is?”

She fidgeted under the intensity of his gaze. “N-No… Why?”

His expression hardened and suddenly he was grasping her by the shoulders in a vice-like grip as he stared eye to eye with her. She sucked in a sharp breath in surprise.

“No,” he said, voice taut. “I’m asking  ** _you_**  why. Why is it that I can’t get enough of you? Who are you?  _What_  are you?” His expression was grim, and he suddenly looked as if he was on the edge of his rope. "Humans are just food. Someone like you shouldn't have this much of a hold on me—it doesn't make sense!"

“I-I don’t…”

His fingers dug into her shoulders with such ferocity it was painful, and she winced as he continued to stare at her with an imploring gaze.

He wanted her to set him free with an answer.

But she had nothing to give.

“I don’t know…” she replied eventually, voice soft and expression apologetic. She wished she could answer him. She wished she could make it so he wasn’t looking at her like  _that._

But she couldn’t.

His expression hardened and his jaw clenched, clearly unsatisfied with her answer as he pulled away and ran a hand through his hair in frustration. 

He looked so vexed, and even though logically she should have been running in the other direction, Mabel found herself instead reaching out a hand for his cheek. They'd been together for what seemed like forever already. Time passed differently when dreaming and every date seemed to last an eternity in itself. It didn't matter for what reasons he'd sought her out, the fact didn't change that she was already irrevocably and undeniably in love with him. 

She'd been doomed from the first time they met.

At the touch of her fingertips ghosting across his cheek, he snapped his head around in surprise. His eyes danced over her expression. She wasn't sure what he saw but it made his expression darken

“I’m slowly killing you,” he stated matter of factly.

She bit her lip. His irises flickered down at the action before returning to her own eyes. "I don’t know what's so special about a pathetic human like you but… it’s addicting. I’m like some wretched drug addict who keeps coming back for more," he spat. "Part of me wishes you would block me out just so I'd be free but we both know you're too far gone to resist me now, don't we?" He gave her a sneer.

“I don’t care about any of that,” Mabel retorted.

Their eyes met and his contemptuous smile waned, expression sobering. “…No, you don’t, do you?” He stepped forward until they were standing chest-to-chest, staring down at her passively. “Even though I’m confessing to you that my selfish actions are going to kill you, you don’t care one bit.” He used a hand to push a lock of hair behind her ear in a familiar gesture. “You humans are so easily charmed."

She found herself reaching out to him, hands fisting in the material of his sweater-vest as she gazed at him imploringly, eyes clouded.

“I love you.”

He laughed loudly as if she’d uttered a joke and her face fell at his reaction to her feelings. Then, his face was suddenly right in front of hers as he cupped her face between his hands, hot breath fanning across her face.

“No, you don’t,” he said in a deep voice, all traces of laughter gone. “Nobody is capable of loving an evil demon—certainly not the princess of the story.”  

She opened her mouth to retort but he silenced her with his lips. She melted into the kiss instantly, falling into his arms without hesitation. Her Prince Charming turned out to be a demon in disguise. Unfortunately, this Princess was already too lost in his spell to have reasonable thought.

The last thing she recalled was the golden glow of his eyes as she lost herself entirely within them for the final time.

* * *

Dipper sat on a chair, his head in his hands as the doctor spoke with his parents and Grunkle's.

“…we’re trying everything we can, I’m afraid we haven’t yet discerned the cause of Mabel's comatose state.”

“Well try harder - it's been a week!”

“I understand your aggravation Mr. Stanley but we’re doing all we can. Please calm down-”

The sound of further yelling and scuffling echoed from the corridor outside and Dipper slowly raised his head and looked toward his twin as she lay in bed. She was only a shell of what she’d used to be. Her skin was lackluster and pale, face hollow and eye sunken with dark shades of purple underlining them.

And yet, despite the fact she was slowing wasting away, his sister continued smiling within her sleep.

“At least your dreams are happy,” he whispered.

And they were.

_Even if they were the very thing killing her._

 

**Author's Note:**

> I rewrote the second half of this story a few times:
> 
> Originally it had a happy ending but the storyline felt stagnant and uninteresting. Then, it had a similar ending to the final product you see now, but Bill was portrayed as more of a morally grey character who had genuine feelings for Mabel, a rather differing contrast to the final product where he has no qualms about how his actions affect Mabel and his only frustration is in not knowing why it is he's addicted to her - incubi Bill, a whole other kind of dream demon but still as dangerous.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed! If you have any questions, feel free to ask away and I'll answer.
> 
> edit: To read one of the alternate endings, [click here.](https://asterkiss.tumblr.com/post/173009999219/for-those-whove-read-my-oneshot-once-upon-a)


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